1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a contents distribution system, a terminal apparatus and a contents distribution method, as well as to a recording medium on which is recorded a program used therein, and in particular, relates to a contents distribution system, a terminal apparatus and a contents distribution method, as well as to a recording medium on which is recorded a program used therein, which distribute contents data, connected in a multi-leveled hierarchical structure on a network for each of a plurality of contents channels, with a contents distribution apparatus as an apex.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a contents distribution service, which carries out a streaming distribution of contents data (hereafter also referred to as “contents”) such as music, a movie or a talk show, via a network such as an internet, has begun to be launched.
This kind of contents distribution service includes one which carries out a distribution of contents in a condition in which a plurality of client terminal apparatus are connected in a multi-leveled hierarchical structure for each contents channel, with a distribution server as an apex. Also, a connection management server being installed in this kind of contents distribution service, it manages a connection condition of the distribution server and the client terminal apparatus. Specifically, for example, as described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-33514, in the event of changing a contents channel, such as when responding to an operation by a user, or when a connection is severed, a connection destination candidate is requested of the connection management server by a terminal apparatus and, by the connection management server selecting the connection destination candidate, and reporting it, it is possible, in the terminal apparatus which has made the request, to recognize a distribution server or other terminal apparatus to which a connection is possible.